Fritters Day
National Fritters Day is celebrated on December 5th each year in the United States. This unofficial food holiday is dedicated to enjoying fritters—a type of fried or baked food that typically consists of a batter or dough mixed with fruits, vegetables, or meats. Fritter Day is a fun way to enjoy a tasty treat while celebrating the variety of flavors that fritters can offer!
Sweater Vestival
Sweater Vestival is a playful celebration typically observed around the first weekend in December, encouraging people to wear their favorite sweater vests. It’s a fun and lighthearted way to showcase this often-overlooked piece of clothing, which can be styled in various ways, from casual to more formal looks.
Here are some notable events that occurred on December 2nd throughout history:
Notable Events on December 2nd
1804: Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned Emperor of the French in a lavish ceremony at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. This marked the establishment of the First French Empire.
1823: The Monroe Doctrine was announced by U.S. President James Monroe during his annual message to Congress. The doctrine asserted that the Americas were no longer open to European colonization and warned European powers against interfering in the affairs of the Western Hemisphere.
1942: The first successful controlled nuclear reaction was achieved by Enrico Fermi and his team at the University of Chicago, marking a significant milestone in the development of nuclear energy.
1954: The U.S. Senate voted to condemn Senator Joseph McCarthy for his conduct during his investigations into alleged communist activities, effectively ending his influence and power.
1982: Stanford University announced the discovery of a new “superconductor” that could conduct electricity without resistance at relatively high temperatures, leading to advancements in materials science and technology.
1993: The U.S. officially recognized the State of Palestine. This decision was part of the ongoing peace process in the Middle East.
2001: The United States launched a military campaign in Afghanistan following the September 11 attacks, leading to a sustained military presence that lasted for years.
2019: The first and largest confirmed Brontocephalus fossil was discovered in Spain, offering insights into the evolution of early amphibians.
Birthdays
1792: William H. Seward, an American politician, served as Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and is known for his purchase of Alaska from Russia.
1942: Bobby Cox, a former Major League Baseball manager, known for his time with the Atlanta Braves, leading them to significant success in the 1990s.
1965: Lucy Liu, an American actress, producer, and director, known for her roles in “Charlie’s Angels” and “Kill Bill.”
1988: Shakira, a Colombian singer, songwriter, and dancer, recognized for her contributions to Latin pop music and global hits.
Deaths
1809: William Henry Harrison, who would go on to become the 9th President of the United States, died at the age of 68. He served briefly in 1841 before his death.
1925: Gustav Mahler, the renowned Austrian composer and conductor, passed away at the age of 50. He is known for his symphonies and his influence on the development of orchestral music.
1954: Niels Bohr, the Danish physicist who made foundational contributions to understanding atomic structure and quantum theory, died at the age of 79. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1922.
1984: Sofia Kourteva, a prominent Bulgarian actress known for her work in film and theater, passed away.
1992: Giovanni Agnelli, the influential Italian businessman and head of the Fiat automobile company, died at the age of 81. He was a significant figure in Italian industry.
1999: Mikhail Sholokhov, a Russian novelist and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, passed away at the age of 90. He is best known for his epic novel “And Quiet Flows the Don.”
2003: Richard B. Russell Jr., an American politician who served as a U.S. Senator from Georgia for nearly 40 years, died at the age of 87.
2016: John Glenn, the American astronaut and U.S. Senator, passed away at the age of 95. He was the first American to orbit the Earth and was a key figure in NASA’s early space program.
